1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a covering device for a front area of a convertible-top compartment located in the rear of a motor vehicle, and includes a covering section that may also be used as a hat rest behind either a back seat of the motor vehicle or behind the driver and passenger seats of a two-seat sports car.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In motor vehicles having a foldable fabric convertible top it is known that behind the back seats there is a convertible-top compartment which is covered with a covering flap. If the convertible top is to be folded into the convertible-top compartment, the covering flap is pivoted upward over an articulated mechanism which is located in the rear end area in order to enable access to the convertible-top compartment. After the convertible top is folded in, the convertible-top compartment is closed by the covering flap being pivoted down again. Since the covering flap is located directly behind the back seats, it is also used as a hat rack at the same time.
In convertibles of the type of a Mercedes-Benz SLK, with a rigid roof section and rear window section which can be folded together via a positive control mechanism and can be housed in a stowage space under the rear hatch, the hat rest behind the back seats which is also used as the front covering for the convertible-top compartment is made very complex. In conventional approaches, the front covering for the convertible top stowage space is generally divided into two side covers which pivot away laterally to the top, and a middle section which can be lowered to the bottom when the convertible top is folded together and housed in the stowage space. It is also difficult both with the convertible top opened and also with the convertible top closed to obtain an attractive, fitting joint picture on the one hand between the front covering and the rear window section and on the other hand between the front covering and the rear hatch. A multipart covering is known from German Patent Publication DE 197 14 105 A1.
An object of the present invention is to provide a covering device for the front area of a convertible-top compartment which is located in the rear of the motor vehicle, the covering device having a simple structure yet yielding an optically attractive joint picture with the convertible top in both a closed position or an open position.
This and other objects are achieved by a covering device for a convertible-top compartment located in the rear area of the motor vehicle in that a covering section for the covering device, in addition to providing pivoting support, can be moved forward and backward in horizontally via a positive control mechanism. By moving the covering section from the front position into the rear position, it is possible to form between the two end positions of the back edge of the covering section a peripheral gap. The peripheral gap is filled by an end section of the rear window section when the covering section is in the front position, then the rear bottom area of the rear window section ending flush with the front edge of the rear hatch.
When the roof structure is housed in the stowage space, the covering section is located in the rear position, the rear end edge of the covering section ending flush with the front end edge of the rear hatch. Thus, in each position of the covering section an optically attractive joint picture is ensured, only a one-piece covering section being necessary and the positive control mechanism which is connected to it having a relatively simple structure. The horizontal movement capacity of the covering section ensures that for synchronized motion of the roof structure which is being folded together and for motion of the rear hatch around a pivoting axis which is located in the rear area of the rear hatch a collision of the moving parts is avoided. In one advantageous version of the covering device, the covering section while it is being moved can also be pivoted to the top so that with the synchronized opening and closing motion of the roof structure a collision of the moving parts is reliably prevented.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are detailed below with reference to the attached drawings.